Star Wars - Poe Tours (a prequel to Episode VII)
by Michael-GoldenHeart23
Summary: As you know, Episode VII opens up with X-wing pilot, Poe Dameron and his droid BB-8 on a mission on Jakku. But how did they get there? This adventure follows the duo's valiant efforts to fight and escape the First Order's clutches. Buckle up for an epic fanfiction that crosses over the hit movie with the famous Disney theme park ride. You need a pilot, and his name is Poe Dameron!
1. Chapter 1 - Poe Tours

_Dedicated to all of the Disney cast members at Star Tours. Thanks for making the magic come true._

 **POE TOURS**

 **Luke Skywalker has vanished.  
In his absence, the sinister  
FIRST ORDER has risen  
from the ashes of the Empire  
and will not rest until Skywalker, the last Jedi,  
has been destroyed.**

 **With the support of the REPUBLIC,  
General Leia Organa leads a brave RESISTANCE.  
She is desperate to find her  
brother Luke and gain his  
help in restoring peace and  
justice to the galaxy.**

 **Leia has sent her most daring  
pilot, Poe Dameron, on a secret mission  
to Jakku, where an old ally  
has discovered a clue to  
Luke's whereabouts...  
**

 **But the journey to Jakku would not be so easily traversed.**  
 **The First Order is spreading throughout the galaxy,**  
 **determined to wipe out the Resistance.**  
 **Poe Dameron and his faithful droid, BB-8, will have**  
 **to harness all of their tenacity to avoid Kylo Ren's clutches**  
 **and uncover the means to find Luke Skywalker...**

The T-70 X-wing, a cruciformed starfighter with enough firepower to decimate a rancor. Complete with proton torpedoes and concussion missiles, this spacecraft was considered to be one of the deadliest in its time. At least it was according to Poe Dameron. While the ship he piloted was not is signature, black and orange fighter, its blue markings helped him blend with every other in the fleet. The last thing he needed was for the First Order to discover that Black Leader was on a secret mission. The young pilot soared through the cosmos, his eyes currently fixated upon his ship's monitor. A spherical droid twitched and bleeped from a hatch just behind his cockpit. Poe sighed, "I can only move so fast, BB-8." He continued to punch in hyperspace coordinates towards the Western Reaches. His jump to lightspeed would carry him to directly to Jakku, which was located in one of the most remote sectors of the system.

Poe was just about to make the jump when a bulb began to flash in hues of blue. "Incoming transmission?" he thought. "BB-8, put it through."

Soon an exasperated voice began to crackle back, "Black Leader! Do you read?!"

"This is Black Leader. Go ahead."

"This is Reto Swabec of Nova Squadron. We were protecting a supplies convoy from the nearby spaceport when the First Order ambushed us!" The iconic sounds of Tie fighter cannons could be heard in the distance. "We need immediate assistance! You're the closest fighter in our area!"

Poe removed his hyperspace coordinates and banked enroute to the convoy's position. "Hold on, Reto. Help is on the way." BB-8 beeped in a grumbling tone. "I know we have a mission, buddy. But I'm not about to let our men die. General Organa would understand." Poe diverted all power to thrusters, and spiraled through the stars.

It was only a matter of time before he spotted the rigorous space battle. Six T-70's clashed lasers with overwhelming swarms of Ties. Poe optimized his weaponry, "Alright, let's show these six boys how it's done."

 ** _BOOM!  
_**  
One of the X-wings was blown to pieces by incoming laserfire.

Poe grimaced. "Make that five boys." He plunged into battle, his laser cannons acridly pulsing. His aim sent one Tie crashing into two others. Poe zoomed through the produced explosion while locking a missile onto another fighter. "Woo!" he exclaimed.

"It's Black Leader!" cheered one of the pilots.

Poe smiled while peering back from his cockpit. "Follow me, boys. Let's buy this convoy time to escape." The X-wings formed up for a second attack. They pierced through the Tie squadrons, their laser cannons blazing away in flashes of red. Meanwhile, the Resistance's supply ships began to divert their course.

"Black Leader," voiced one of the suppliers. "Can you give us cover while we make the jump?"

"Already one step ahead of you," Poe smirked before barrel-rolling passed a spray of green laserfire. He looped around, blasting down two more Ties. "Come and get me!" he taunted as the remaining Ties gave chase. He flew over the spaceport, and then banked around for another attack run. As he flew by, he caught a glimpse of the station's name: Spaceport THX1138. While he kept the fighters distracted, the supply ships were able to make their jumps to lightspeed.

"We did it!" rejoiced Reto as he flew alongside Poe.

"Yeah!" Poe replied when BB-8 chimed. "See buddy? Record-time rescue. No worries. Now we can head for Jakku and-"

 ** _BANG!  
_**  
A First Order star destroyer thundered out of hyperspace and coasted beside the station.

BB-8 beeped frantically. "Yeah I see the giant ship!" groaned Poe. "Hang on, I'm getting us out of here. All pilots. Prepare to make the jump to-"

"NOOOO!" yelled Reto before he was blasted to ash by the star destroyer's laser cannons. Tie fighters poured out of it like insects from a hive. They overwhelmed the Resistance pilots, blasting two of them before the others fled into hyperspace. Poe found himself alone, exasperatedly locking in hyperspace coordinates, only to have his wing struck by a Tie's laser blast.

He began to spiral out of control, his T-70 on a crash course for the space station. "BB-8!" he dizzily grunted. "Get us stabilized!" The droid speedily worked to level out the burning starfighter. It was just enough for Poe to glide it into the space station's docking bay. As soon as it crashed against the back wall, Poe leapt out and ejected BB-8. A First Order shuttle swept into the bay and began to land.

"Not good," worried Poe before he slipped through a crowd of fearful bystanders. "BB-8! Come on!" The droid squeaked as it rolled at maximum speeds. The duo made their way down a maintenance hall, where they accidentally bumped into a mechanic and then ducked for cover behind a series of crates.

"This way!" exclaimed a female voice. It was followed by a squadron of stormtroopers, their pale armor gleaming under the station's light fixtures. One of the men kicked the mechanic to his knees while the rest stood at attention. A chrome-clad stormtrooper stood tall, an armorweave cape drifting across her arm. She knelt down and glared at the sweat-drenched captive. "The pilot. Which way did he go?"

Without even reconsidering, the mechanic immediately pointed towards Poe's hiding spot. The woman shoved him away and ordered, "Blast him!"

"Yes, Captain Phasma." nodded one of the stormtroopers.

Poe and BB-8 were soon under heavy blasterfire, as lasers scorched wall and crates beside them. Poe swiftly retrieved his sidearm and fired two shots before striking a stormtrooper.

"We need a ride, and fast." panted Poe. He gave BB-8 a light kick, thrusting the droid into an elevator. Poe quickly tapped away at the button for the upper hangars. Lasers shot into the elevator, causing both of them to press against its edges. "Come on, come on, come on!" The doors slowly shut, and an eerie calmness filled the elevator. All remained silent until the elevator's soothing music kicked in. BB-8 began to slowly rock back and forth, chiming to the jazzy beat until Poe scolded, "Stop that."

The elevator opened, and they entered into a hangar filled with ships. Stormtroopers were already searching the ships on the adjacent side, minimizing Poe's options. If he could just get to a ship, they'd be safe. He could fly anything after all. It was then that he caught a glimpse of a fine starship, one of which he instantly recognized as a StarSpeeder 1000. He smirked, quickly yanking its door open and dashing in with BB-8.

Poe tripped over his speeding BB droid, and landed on a rather slimy being, a Selkath. The pale, fishlike creature immediately shoved him off and spoke in a garbled tongue of which Poe did not recognize.

"Pipe down, kolto-breath!" scolded a teenage girl in the second row. "I'm trying to get some shuteye!"

A pleasant young man pat the seat beside him, "Need a spot, stranger?" Poe ignored him and pressed towards the front of the StarSpeeder. "Alright then."

A humanoid, AC-series pilot droid turned around from the control panel. Its head was helmet-shaped and flattened on the front side, with a round speaker and a pair of yellow photoreceptors for eyes. It was equipped with a Intellidor 8 droid brain, advanced articulations, and a disc-shaped power recharge socket in its torso. "Hey! Show me your boarding pass please!" asserted the droid.

"No time, tinny." rushed Poe as he shoved the droid and lunged for the cockpit.

The droid tugged him back. "You are unauthorized to fly this craft."

"I'm authorized to fly anything!" intoned Poe. "Tell'em BB-8." The ball droid simply shook his head in decline. "Come on!" The droid beeped a rebuttal. "I KNOW none of this would have happened if I just would have listened to you. But we saved the supplies and-" BB-8 angrily chimed again. "Fine! Be that way!" Poe growled. "This isn't the time for 'I told you so's, buddy." Poe regretted his outburst and turned, "But yes...you are very much right." BB-8 bleeped with content. "NOW will you help me get us spacebound?"

BB-8 obliged as the AC droid contested. "Just what do you two think you're doing?"

"The First Order's taking the station and we need to get out of here. Trust me, you guys need a pilot."

"They HAVE a pilot," affirmed the AC droid. "I am programmed to fly StarSpeeder 1000's in any condition of-"

"Then you guys need a better pilot," quipped Poe as he took control of the StarSpeeder. Soon, the craft was lifted and headed straight for the hangar doors. Suddenly, the entire ship was halted by an unseen force. "What's happening?" worried Poe. BB-8 bleeped in confusion. "I asked you first!" reminded Poe. "I've lost all mobility." The ship began to turn towards a battalion of stormtroopers.

"You're taking us right to them!" screamed the teenager in the second row.

"I'm not doing this!" grunted Poe as he pulled back on the controls. He let go as soon as he realized what was holding the vessel. "He is." In front of Captain Phasma and her stormtroopers, was the infamous Kylo Ren. The hooded, masked monster of the First Order was using the Force to hold the starship in place.

"Is that...K-...Kylo Ren?" gulped the teen.

"You don't have anything to do with this invasion, do you, stranger?" worried the man behind her.

"No, of course not." replied Poe as he ducked under the dashboard, leaving the AC droid to confront Kylo Ren.

"Prepare to be boarded," warned Kylo Ren.

The droid stared down at Poe, who was pleading for his cooperation. "There's been some terrible mistake," said the droid.

Poe sighed in relief mouthed the words "Thank you."

Kylo Ren was unphased, "We know you have the Resistance pilot onboard."

"Resistance pilot!?" blurted the teenage girl. "You're in the Resistance?!"

Poe glared at her with a regretful nod and then immediately returned to the controls. "We're out of here!" He tugged away at the controls, but Kylo Ren kept the ship in place.

"I want that pilot!" demanded Kylo Ren.

"Doesn't this thing have weapons?" Poe scoured the controls until BB-8 activated the concealed laser cannons. "Thanks, buddy!" He fired at Kylo Ren, who ignited his cross-hilted lightsaber to deflect the blasts. This gave Poe just enough time to fly out of the hangar and over the star destroyer. "Hang on, everyone!" Just as the enormous craft prepared to vaporize them, Poe finally made the jump to lightspeed, utilizing whatever coordinates were already preprogrammed.

The StarsSpeeder 1000 darted through the spiraling blue vortex of Hyperspace. Poe removed his customized helmet and placed it on the edge of the dashboard. "That was close...Too close," he panted before patting BB-8 on the head. "Now all we have to do is bolt for Jakku." The AC droid immediately removed Poe's helmet and flung it at his chest.

"Ow! What was that for?" grimaced Poe. "I just saved you all!"

"Saved us?" scolded the droid. "The only reason the First Order attacked was because of you. It's you that they want! You reckless ruiner of flight services."

"Flight services?" Poe raised a brow while looking at BB-8. "What exactly is this ship's destination?"

"This ship travels everywhere from Dantooine to Mustafar. Naboo to Kessel and the Rishi Moon. This is Star Tours."

"Star Tours?" thought Poe. "Wait a minute...Yeah, that's right. I heard you guys make nonstop flights from Coruscant to Tatooine. Not bad for the prices passengers have to pay."

"Speaking of which," Interrupted the friendly man. "I do hope we all get refunds for this interrupted travel."

"There will be no refunds because we are proceeding with your travels as planned." said the AC.

"What?" snapped Poe. "Look, pal. I am on a-" He shut his mouth and leaned in to whisper. "I'm on a top secret mission for the Resistance and need to get to Jakku."

"Well then you, like every other passenger, will have to wait your turn." the AC droid remained stern.

"Look, if we can just get to Jakku first, then you can resume your travels."

"YOU endangered all of us. The First Order will be hunting you down. We ought to drop you off on Manaan."

"Manaan?" thought Poe. "The water world?"

"Correct," nodded the pilot droid. "Mr. Nosi is quite eager to get home." He pointed at the Selkath, and Poe instantly remembered bumping into his slimy self.

"Oh, that guy." Poe grimaced. The Selkath garbled at him in what seemed like gibberish. "What is he babbling on about? Don't you speak Galactic Basic?"

The AC droid translated. "He is saying that you are going to get us all killed and that we were fools to let you onboard."

Poe rolled his eyes. "You save a bunch of people from an evil organization and THIS is how they repay you. Insults and refunds. You realize the longer I'm on this StarSpeeder, the longer they'll chase us right?"

The AC droid returned to the controls, shoving Poe behind him. "I could not agree more. Which is why we are dropping you off on Manaan. You can get yourself a ship there."

"Fine by me," Poe crossed his arms and sat next to the teenage girl.

She peered up at him with her bright blue eyes and gently brushed her blonde, pixie-styled hair. "So..." she began. "You're in the Resistance?"

"That's been well established, yes."

"That's amazing," she grinned before crossing her legs. "What type of ship do you fly? Is it the fastest one? Have you ever killed someone with it? How long have you been fighting the First Order? Do they scare you? Are they going to beat the Resistance? Is the Resistance tough? Did you make that helmet yourself? Can I try it on?"

Poe leaned towards BB-8 and muttered, "This is going to be a long flight." 


	2. Chapter 2 - Mayhem on Manaan

**Chapter: 2 Mayhem on Manaan  
**

"Are there a lot of Resistance fighters? How big is the fleet? Does your flightsuit ever get itchy?" The teen never seemed to run out of questions for Poe Dameron. He grit his teeth with frustration, hoping that the StarSpeeder would blast out of Hyperspace at any given moment.

He turned, thinking to himself, "She's _still_ talking isn't she?"

"What's it like to battle the First Order-"

"Hey kid," Poe interrupted. "Did your parents ever teach you the quiet game?" BB-8 nodded at the proposal of such a game.

The blonde glowered, "My parents never played any games with me. Actually...they did teach me one."

"Which?" asked Poe.

"It was called... _Shut up, Enna. We're sending you to the Academy. Don't come back until you're a successful politician._ It's a terrible game. I hate politics. It's just a bunch of elites lying about what they're going to change. Then they get elected and nothing changes. I haven't seen my care-free parents in almost seven years and frankly, I never want to again."

Poe felt remorse for the young student. He did his best to change the subject, "Enna, huh? That's a beautiful name."

"Thanks," she smirked. "What's yours?"

"Poe Dameron. This is my droid BB-8. Where ya from, Enna?"

"Mandalore," she replied.

Poe raised a brow, "Then what were you doing as far as the D'Qar sector?"

"I was offworld to go observe the Republic and how their systems make them the best government in the galaxy."

"And what did you think of those politicians?"

"The BIGGEST liars in the galaxy. I left early because I couldn't stand it. That's why I caught this late flight home."

"That explains how empty this StarsSpeeder is," thought Poe before gesturing to the gentleman in the back. "And what's your name?"

The man wore a thick, pine green overcoat. His short brown hair was wavy with slick curls at the end of it. A naturally pleasant smile flashed on his face. "The name's Rurik. I'm an intergalactic cartographer who's just finished mapping out the D'Qar system. I'll be heading home to my research station on Rhen Var."

"Cold planet," Poe grimaced. "And then Nosi is clearly from Manaan. What about you, droid? What's your story?"

The pilot turned, "I am AC-95. I have been working at Star Tours for over fifteen years. Nothing more. I will be pulling us out of Hyperspace in thirty seconds."

"AC-95?" grimaced Poe. "You call that a name?"

"That is my designated number," affirmed AC-95.

"Forget that." scoffed Poe. "How about I call you...Ace?"

"My name is AC-95."

"Ace it is," Poe grinned, making Enna snicker and BB-8 chime.

AC became frustrated, "You're going to make me fry a circuit! In all my years of piloting I have never seen such a recklessly entitled individual." Poe laughed at his insult until the droid uttered, "This is why the best pilots will always be droids."

"Excuse me?" Poe stood up to AC. "I'll have you know that my squadron has had more successful raids on First Order targets than any droid-driven craft ever has." He flicked the droid's chest, prompting a clang to ring out.

"You biologicals think you own us droids." AC poked Poe in the chest with his metallic finger.

"That's because we built you!" contested Poe.

"Our origin matters not if we can still think for ourselves,"

"Are you really thinking for yourself though?" inquired Poe. "Seems to me as though you've been doing the same job for fifteen years plus. When's the last time you had fun?"

" _Fun_ is not in my directive programming."

"Guys?" worried Enna. "Shouldn't we have come out of Hyperspace by now?"

AC gasped, realizing that Poe had distracted him from his primary directive. He immediately flipped the switch to boom the ship out of lightspeed. The delay had brought them closer to Manaan then they ever thought possible. They overshot the water world's floating city and dove straight into the ocean. The StarSpeeder bulleted into the dark depths of Manaan, eventually losing speed when AC cut the engines. The craft began to tilt upward, allowing its passengers to view the surface as it grew ever further.

Everyone onboard was disheveled from the impact. "No...No no!" AC rigorously tried to restart the engines, but the exerted hyperdrive had drained all of their power. Soon, the cabin was as dark as the ocean itself. AC forced on the backup lights, which illuminated the cabin with a dark red hue.

Nosi shrugged and mumbled in Selkath. "Absolutely not!" warned AC.

"What'd he say?" asked Enna.

"He said I should open the doors so he can swim home. He doesn't care if we all die. He just wants to get home to his wife, Moni."

"Well I hope Moni knows her husband's a sociopathic slimeball." sneered Enna. "I say we eat him first before starvation hits us."

"We'll run out of air before we starve," admitted Poe.

"Such a shame," scowled Rurik. "I was very much looking forward to seafood."

Poe ignored his comment. "BB-8! Where are ya?"

The droid bleeped despairingly from the very back of the StarSpeeder. He was unable to join them at the top, for his spherical body had no traction on such slippery incline.

Nosi remained gripped to the hatch, tugging away at the locks. "Sir! Please return to your seat!" ordered AC. The Selkath ignored him and continued to tug. If that latch opened, every non-aquatic onboard was doomed.

Poe realized that desperate times called for desperate measures. He withdrew his pistol and aimed it at Nosi. "Stand down, Selkath. Or you'll make the finest seafood filet I've ever grilled." The Selkath remained unafraid, only to cower back. "That's what I thought," smirked Poe.

"I do not think it was you he was afraid of," warned AC. The droid pointed towards the windshield as the silhouette of a tail swam through the darkness.

"What was that?" worried Rurik, doing his best to maintain calmness.

Soon, several other silhouettes began to circle the craft. "Firaxan sharks," scanned AC.

One of the sharks gave the StarSpeeder a rigorous nudge. "Looks like we're the ones who are going to be seafood!" panicked Enna. "And we're STILL sinking!"

"Not for long. I'll...I'll get us out of this. Somehow." Poe used the seats to climb towards the control panel. "BB-8, can you jumpstart the systems?" BB-8 hopelessly bleeped from the back of the craft. "Oh, right. I'll try to do it manually, then." He pried open a panel and began to shuffle with wires. "Maybe if I just recalibrate the-"

 ** _ZZZZZZT!  
_**  
"Gah!" Poe shocked himself and fell back against the seats.

"Are you alright?" worried Enna as she sat him up.

"Fine. Just not ready to become fish food. The power's dead. The circuits are completely juiced out."

"Not necessarily." thought AC. He opened a compartment in his chest, revealing a cylindrical mechanism with electrical properties. "My power generator may have just enough of an energy concentration to jumpstart the ship."

"But, you'll deactivate." realized Poe.

AC sulked before replying, "Sacrifice for the good of my passengers is in my programming. My plan will only work with someone who can fly us while I am deactivated. Perhaps we are lucky to have you onboard after all. I trust you can get us to the surface, knowing those Firaxan sharks will be hot on our tail?"

"Damn right you can," Poe affirmed. "Alright, let's do it." Enna buckled AC to one of the seats as he removed his power generator. The droid immediately went limp afterwards, and Rurik handed Poe the cylinder. "Here goes nothing." Poe jammed the generator into the ship's wired mainframe. Within seconds, the device sparked and the engines roared. "HAHAAA!" cheered Poe.

"Alright!" applauded Enna before hugging Rurik. Nosi just held onto the arm rests on his seat, fearing what was to come.

"Buckle up, everyone." Poe flashed a determined grin and then shifted the StarSpeeder into maximum overdrive. Thank goodness Star Tours had fitted their crafts with submersible features. As soon as Poe jolted for the surface, the swarm of Firaxan sharks gave chase. The creatures were incredibly agile, and darted for the ship's hull. Poe weaved to avoid their colossal, snapping jaws while simultaneously surging upward.

"There's too many of them!" dreaded Rurik.

"Watch out!" screamed Enna. "On the left! The right! Incoming!"

"I see them!" snapped Poe. One of the Firaxan sharks clamped its jaws against the hull, and began to viscously thrash from side to side.

"I think I'm gonna-" belched Enna as she succumbed to her nausea.

"Come on, Mando!" joked Poe. "Your race is supposed to be gutsy!"

"I'm gonna lose my guts," hiccuped Enna.

"Just whatever you do," urged Rurik. "Do it in the opposite direction. I just got this coat." Soon, two more sharks bit into the ship.

Poe grunted, "How do I get these things off?"

BB-8 chimed intuitively.

"Sonic emitters? Of course!" Poe scoured the StarSpeeder's dashboard and found the controls under laser cannons. He primed them with one hand and growled, "Let's see how they like these!" Poe activated the emitters, which pulsed powerful soundwaves that disoriented the sharks. While they let go another continued to give chase. Acting fast, Poe blasted it with his laser cannons. The dead shark soon became food for the rest of the swarm, and Poe was able to gain valuable distance. The waters began to lighten as they reached the surface. Soon, the StarSpeeder broke right through, and once again soared through the open air. "WOOOOOHOOOO!" cheered Poe. "That's what I'm talking about!" BB-8 rolled around with amusement.

Poe flew them towards Ahto, the only above-surface city on the entire planet. Based on Nosi's energetic reactions, it was most certainly his home. The ship landed in one of the Star Tours' designated docking bays, and its passengers all took a breather. Rurik wiped the sweat from his forehead. "Remind me to never go underwater mapping on Manaan."

Meanwhile, Enna ran for the nearest trash receptacle. Nosi called his wife, complaining about how he was never going to fly Star Tours again.

With the power rebooted, Poe removed the generator and placed it back in AC's chest. The droid twitched back to life, "Did we make it?"

"Very much so," nodded Poe.

"Excellent," nodded the droid. "Now take your BB droid and get off of my ship. Don't come back."


	3. Chapter 3 - A Test of Friendship

**Chapter: 3 A Test of Friendship**

AC gave Poe and BB-8 another shove out of the StarSpeeder. "And stay out."

"Alright! Alright! We're going!" snapped Poe. "Ungrateful bucket of bolts." He began to stroll back with BB-8. "Would you believe that guy?" BB-8 tooted with discontent.

Nosi exited the craft and kissed the grounds of his home city, leaving moisturized puddles where his maw had been. He shoved passed Poe and hobbled into the city's hub. Poe shook his head at the seemingly ceaseless moments of ungratefulness. It was then that he heard Enna call his name. He turned with a grin. "Thanks for saving our skins down there, and back at the station."

"Anytime, kid." saluted Poe. "Take care of yourself out there."

"Thank you, stranger." waved Rurik.

Soon, AC ushered them back to their seats. "Enough goodbyes. I have just enough personal power to get us to Mandalore before I must recharge."

"We could always have Poe fly us home," suggested Enna.

"Absolutely not," intoned AC. "He is the sole reason we got into trouble in the first place. Let the First Order do as they please with him. It is of no concern to us." The droid angrily shut the doors and prepared for takeoff. As the StarSpeeder turned. Poe caught one final glimpse of Enna, sadly waving from the window seat.

Poe faintly smiled and gave brief wave to his new friend before turning. "Come on, BB-8. Let's find ourselves another ship. Preferably one without any passengers on it." BB-8 began to frantically chime. "Sure, we don't have any credits to pay for a ship, but we'll manage. After all, General Organa is counting on us to get to Jakku by any means necessary." By this point, BB-8 seemed to be having a breakdown, bleeping like he was short-circuiting. He even rolled over Poe's foot. "Ow! What's wrong with you?" The droid motioned upwards with high-pitched beep. "A tracker?" Poe's eyes widened. "Where?" He turned watching as the StarSpeeder was making its way out of the docking bay. A blipping tracker could be seen on the lower hull. By sheer luck, the device had survived the shark attack.

Poe immediately sprinted under the craft until he was alongside it. "Wait!" He exclaimed, flailing his arms. "You're being tracked! You've got a tracker!" He waved his arms even higher, prompting AC to notice and lower the side window.

"Already begging for a ride?" scoffed the pilot droid.

"AC! Listen to me!" bellowed Poe from below. "You have a tracker on your hull! The First Order must've planted it during the escape!"

AC shook his head and began to raise the window, "Nice try, Poe Dameron. But you will not fool me into landing this vessel so you can sneak back onboard."

"Ace, you ignorant mech!" cursed Poe while striking his side with a clenched fist. "You're going to bring the First Order right-" Poe then heard the screams of Ahto citizens as a First Order frigate descended from the clouds. "To you," he finished.

BB-8 and Poe dashed through the streets of scattered and panicking patrons. First Order dropships could be seen gliding towards the docking bays. Poe kept his eyes fixed upon the StarSpeeder above, which attempted an escape until it was cornered by Ties and caught in a tractor beam. "No," Poe uttered to himself. The roar of engines could be heard as a dropship landed, crushing the center's fountain. Out poured a squadron of stormtroopers that immediately established a perimeter. Poe and BB-8 took cover in one of the chrome alleyways, watching the frigate loom over the city. It was then that Poe was faced with a choice. If he remained hidden until the First Order departed, AC, Enna and Rurik would be forced to suffer for his involvements. He had seen what the First Order did to their prisoners, for he had mounted several rescues in the past. Poe's heart forbid him from leaving his new friends to be tortured. He was willing to do whatever he had to in order to keep them safe. Even if AC had mistreated him, Poe had no quarrel with the droid. After all, he was only fulfilling his directive programming to protect his passengers. If he truly stood for the same selfless values of the Resistance and the ways of the old Rebel Alliance, now was the time to prove it.

Poe would have to act fast. He peered from cover, watching the stormtroopers ransack a nearby merchant's business. While one kept the owner pinned against the wall, the others looted him of blasters and food rations. "But I've done nothing wrong!" pleaded the Rodian merchant.

"The Resistance has been dragging us around the galaxy, the least we can do is get a reward from it. Your property is now that of the First Order's." grizzled a stormtrooper before shoving the merchant to the ground. "Grab the kolto and let's get out of here!"

"Kolto," thought Poe. He recognized the substance as a healing liquid normally found in Resistance medics. Along with the medical substance of bacta, kolto could heal anything from cuts to blast wounds. While Poe had been using kolto on wounded comrades in combat, he recalled hearing of its origins on Manaan. Of course the First Order would take advantage of Manaan's healing substances to administer for stormtroopers.

Poe slipped into the shop, startling the Rodian. "Take everything! Just don't hurt me!"

"Shhhh," assured Poe. "The troopers are gone."

"Oh," sighed the Rodian as Poe helped him up. "What do you want?"

"I need a droid power generator. Cylindrical in shape. Got one?"

"You building droids?" quirked the shaken Rodian.

"No, but my friend is running low on power."

The Rodian glared down at BB-8 with his bulbous eyes. "He looks fine to me-"

"Look," snapped Poe. "Do you have what I'm looking for?" The alien immediately ducked behind the counter and hoisted up a crate of generators. He removed several types before snagging the cylindrical form. "Perfect." reached Poe.

The Rodian held it from him. "Ah ah ah. That'll be a seven-hundred credits."

"SEVEN HUNDRED?" choked Poe. "I don't have that kind of money. You give me that generator, and I'll pummel the troopers who looted your shop."

"That won't make me any richer," sneered the bug-like being. "But I'll give you the generator for that BB unit."

BB-8 cheeped with worry until Poe stood in front of him. "He's not for sale. Here, just take this." Poe removed his X-wing flight helmet and placed it on the counter. The Rodian immediately examined it. "It's one of a kind. Even has the starbird symbol."

"Starbirds?" gasped the Rodian. "That's some Rebel Alliance history right there! I could sell this for some real cash on the black market. Alright. Deal." He flung the generator at Poe and continued to marvel over the helmet.

BB-8 chimed with sadness. "That's alright, buddy." assured Poe. "I've got a similar helmet back on D'Qar." BB-8 bleeped inquiringly. "Of course I've got a plan. We've just got to get to the kolto depots first."

Poe and BB-8 made their way towards the seaside depots, where stormtroopers were loading crates of kolto onto carriers. BB-8 tooted a refute. "I know it's crazy, but if we can just stow away in one of those crates, we can board that frigate and save the others. Trust me, buddy." Poe was reaching or his pistol when a slimy hand gripped his. He turned to find himself face to face with Nosi. The Selkath garbled to him with frantic hand gestures. "You again?" Poe shrugged, "I still don't understand you."

BB-8 translated, causing Poe to peer down at him. "He says he wants to repay me for saving him? Please. He just knows we're the only one's who can stop the First Order. I suppose his help is appreciated regardless. Wait a minute...YOU could speak Selkath THIS ENTIRE TIME?!" BB-8 snickered in a series of beeps. "What do you mean you just liked seeing me struggle to understand?" Poe groaned before facing Nosi. "Can you get those stormtroopers away from the crates without killing them?" The Selkath gave a thumbs up, and BB-8 mimicked him by flicking his lighter upwards. Poe and BB-8 remained behind cover, curious to see how Nosi would go about his distraction.

The Selkath stood in the center of the walkway, took a deep breath, and proceeded to scream at the top of his lungs. He then leapt up and down while pointing out to sea. He kept doing so until two stormtroopers approached him. "What is he babbling about? What about the ocean?" asked one of the men.

"Do I look like I speak Selkath?"

"I thought you spoke fish," insisted the other trooper.

"NO. I speak Quarren. Completely different aquatic species. They're squid-like beings."

"He looks like a squid."

"What kind of squids have you been looking at?"

While the troopers debated, Poe and BB-8 crept into one of the crates behind them.

"We don't have time for this lunatic," groaned one of the troopers before shoving Nosi away. "He's lucky we don't blast him to shreds." The Selkath cackled at his successful distraction before returning home.

Poe pressed his back against the stored tanks of kolto. He tucked the power generator into the pocket of his flightsuit, preventing its energy from illuminating the crate. Soon, the crate vibrated as it was lifted onto the carrier and taken towards the frigate. "There's no turning back now," whispered Poe. BB-8 beeped timidly, rolling through the darkness and into Poe's arms. "Shhhh," Poe rubbed his domed head, "It's alright. We're going to be fine." Poe unlatched the safety lock on his pistol. "Just fine."

"Get your hands off of me!" screamed Enna as a stormtrooper dragged her down the frigate's cold corridors. Her childish efforts were useless, and the Mandalorian was forced onto a bench in the detention block. The stormtrooper then stood at attention as Captain Phasma herself marched in. The chromium captain glared down at Enna, whose heart was racing beyond comprehension.

"Where is the Resistance pilot?" began Phasma.

"I don't know what you're talking about," muttered Enna.

"We know he was onboard the Star Tours craft with you. Tell us where he is now, and no harm will come to you. You will be sent home as if all of this had never happened."

Much to the captain's discontent, Enna began to chuckle. The brave teen stared deep into Phasma's dark helmet visor and smirked. "You should be a politician. You lie just like one."

 ** _THWAP!  
_**  
Phasma backhanded the teen across the face, her armored hand causing a cut to form on her pale cheek. Enna winced, fighting the urge to yelp at the swelling pain. "Do you not realize that you are in First Order custody?" scolded Phasma. "We are not your Mandalorian professors, girl." She grabbed Enna by the face, squeezing her wounded cheek to prompt further pain. We will tear you limb from limb if it means getting the information we want."

Enna stuck to her Mandalorian roots, "Do it," she hissed.

"With pleasure." Phasma threw Enna back against her chair, causing the back of her head to clang against it. "Let us see if your friends are much more cooperative. I'll be back, girl. And next time, I will not be so gentle. In the meantime, I'll have my men send an interrogation droid to keep you company."

The captain shut the door behind her as a stormtrooper approached her. "Captain! The droid was rendered useless when its power diminished."

"The pilot droids of Star Tours are programmed to follow protocol, which eliminates any possibility of it having an allegiance to this pilot. Cast it into the incinerator. Have it melted down for replacement parts."

"Yes, captain."

Phasma opened the second cell and stepped in to face Rurik. The cartographer gulped as Phasma ominously approached him. "Now," she began before gripping his neck and squeezing. "Where is the pilot?"


	4. Chapter 4 - Precious Cargo

**Chapter: 4 Precious Cargo  
**

The First Order frigate departed from Manaan. At the command bridge, an officer stood idle before flipping on a hologram transmission. He saluted as a figure began to materialize. "General Hux."

"Admiral Tolgeth. What news from Manaan?"

"The Star Tours flight was captured, but the pilot's whereabouts remain unknown. The ship's occupants have yet to reveal his location."

"Then bring them to Starkiller Base. I'm sure my methods of persuasion will prove fruitful. We must ensure that the First Order reaches Luke Skywalker before the Resistance does."

"What are Kylo Ren's orders?" asked the admiral.

Hux sneered. "You have my orders. Are they not enough? Bring the prisoners to me."

"Yes, general."

In the frigate's lower decks, stormtroopers were almost finished heaving the kolto crates into storage. One of the troopers grunted as he set down the final crate. "Damn those rushing ground troops. They must've overstocked this one. Feel how heavy it is! I think I pulled something in my back."

"Quit your whining," jeered his partner. He was alarmed when the trooper proceeded to open the crate. "What do you think you're doing?"

"I busted my back hauling this overstocked shipment, so I deserve some kolto to heal it. Have it go down as a service fee." He mocked.

The trooper pried open the crate to face down Poe Dameron's pistol. "Here's MY service fee!"

 ** _BANG!  
_**  
Poe blasted the stormtrooper in the face before rolling forwards and shooting down the second. Poe blew the smoke off of his pistol's nozzle. "Thanks for the lift, boys. All clear, BB-8." The spherical droid rolled out of the crate and beeped irritably. Poe glowered at him, "What? I had to say something creative. Alright, buddy. See if you can access the frigate's schematics." BB-8 connected himself to one of the down stormtrooper's datapads, which had an entire mapping of the ship. Poe analyzed it precisely. "The detention block is on the second level and the StarSpeeder 1000 is docked on the third. BB-8, I'll need you to sneak your way onto the ship and prep it for a quick getaway. I'm going to find the others, then I'll meet you onboard." Poe handed him a tiny comlink to store in his interior. "Stay in touch...stay out of sight."

After hiding the bodies inside the kolto crate, Poe and BB-8 went their separate ways, each sneaking down a metallic corridor. Poe backed up against a wall, observing three stormtroopers accessing an elevator. He waited for the machinery to ascend before forcing open the doors and leaping into the shaft. Poe had to have been the luckiest man alive, considering he had just barely grabbed hold of the elevator's bottom. As the best pilot in the Resistance, he was never one to fear heights. For some reason however, there was something terrifying about dangling hundreds of feet in an elevator shaft. Just when Poe had finally regained his composure, he tensed upon realizing he had missed his floor. With a mighty swing that tightened his core, Poe sprung from the elevator and grabbed hold of the rafters. Just as he dreaded, the structure was electrified, and shocked him into letting go. Poe found himself freefalling from the rafters, and hastily kicked off of the wall to land on the second floor. Now, he found himself dangling, his gloved hands clenching the ledge of the elevator entrance.

Enna flailed in any way possible. She kicked and thrashed, twitched and squirmed. Nothing she could do could get her out of her restraining chair. "You'd better let me out!" she screamed. "I'm...a Jedi! Yeah, that's it. A very powerful Jedi! Don't make me call my other...hidden...Jedi friends!"

"Jedi are extinct," spat the trooper guarding her cell.

"No they're not! I'm a Jedi! And when I get out of here, I'm...uhhh...going to find a lightsaber and hack you to bits!"

The stormtrooper ignored her threats and sighed in relief when a torture droid arrived. The pitch black droid was structured as a floating orb that teemed with torturous devices. Razors, needles, drills, and pliers lined its sides. "Torture droid, designation code PN-8DA." It computed.

The stormtrooper chuckled. "Finally, something to shut this girl up." He opened the door to her cell. "Have fun in there."

PN-8DA hovered towards Enna as she cringed. Her fighting spirit had diminished, and now the teen succumbed to a very ominous level of fear. A level that paralyzed her, sinking her heart and widening her eyes. Eyes that nervously darted from one torture device to the next. The droid spoke, "Where is the Resistance pilot?" The shrilling screech of one of the droid's drills echoed throughout the room.

"I'll...n-n-n-never tell you anything." Enna was mortified, barely able to speak. She clenched her sweaty fists, shut her eyes, and dared to say, "Do your worst."

Poe's arms were incredibly sore from all of his climbing, and it took an even greater effort to open the elevator doors. With one final burst of energy, Poe was able to hoist himself onto the detention block. "That wasn't so bad," he panted to himself. Just as he looked up, he found himself staring down an entire crew of stormtroopers. "Of course," As they trained their guns on him, Poe dove to the ground. He rolled and shot the nearby fire extinguisher, coating the area in mist and screening his movements. Red lasers zipped overhead while others ricocheted against the walls. Poe shot another extinguisher before kicking a stormtrooper down. He rushed down the detention block, his eyes burning from the mist. He then heard a young woman's scream. "ENNA!" he exclaimed.

"Poe!" echoed the urgent voice.

"I'm coming!" Poe intoned while exasperatedly feeling around for rooms. Enna's screams were getting louder when he reached her cell. PN-8DA had a drill just centimeters from her face when Poe stormed in. "Hey!" distracted Poe as the droid turned to face him.

At the sight of her rescuer, Enna's face lit up with joy, "Poe!"

"Shut your eyes!" he warned as she did so. He then blasted the torture droid in the face, sending sparks flying everywhere. Once it fell, Poe immediately knelt to shoot off Enna's restraints. "Hang on, kid."

Enna gasped, "Behind you!"

Poe turned just as a stormtrooper took aim. He quickly disarmed him of the rifle, forcing him into a grapple. But the trooper would not be so easily defeated. He headbutt Poe, sending him into a daze. Poe quickly recovered by swiftly kneeing his foe in the chest. Meanwhile, Enna hopelessly wriggled in her restraints, desperate to help her friend. Poe growled with a punch to the trooper's chest. He ducked under a jab and flipped the trooper over. The foe was able to counter by lunging back up and uppercutting Poe in the jaw. "No!" cried Enna as Poe clamored against the cell wall. The pilot fell to his knees as the stormtrooper removed some sort of melee weapon from his back. When his dizzied vision settled, he could see that it was a Z6 riot control baton. The trooper electrified the weapon and then began to rigorously spin it from the handle. Poe held up his pistol, but the trooper swatted it out of his hands. Acting fast, Poe grabbed the dropped rifle to defend himself. He blocked the troopers spin attack, which severed the rifle in the process. The end of the baton struck Enna's chair restraint, snapping one of her cuffs and tipping her over. While Poe fought to stay alive, Enna used her freed hand to inch for the pistol.

She managed to obtain it and blast her second cuff off, only to be disarmed by the stormtrooper's spin attack. Poe tackled the trooper to the ground, attempting to rid him of the baton. The trooper countered by kneeing his torso and shoving him off. He raised the baton, determined to bring it down on Poe when Enna leapt onto his back. "Leave him alone!" she wrapped her arms around the stormtrooper's neck, distracting him enough to drop the baton. He elbowed the teen, picked her up, and threw her across the room.

"Enna!" yelled Poe before grabbing the baton and jabbing the trooper with it. He grunted at the electrified strike before punching Poe across the face. He regained his baton and struck Poe in the chest. As the pilot succumbed to the electric shock, his vision began to fade. His breathing hastened only to be cut short. Hope seemed lost until Enna's scream filled the air. The teenager screeched before smacking the trooper with her restraining chair. The steel seat clanged against the trooper's head, knocking him out.

Enna helped Poe to his feet. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," he wheezed. "Fine." BB-8 signaled him via comlink, saying that he had successfully snuck onto the ship. "We need to move, now!" Enna handed poe his pistol before they departed from the cell.

"Pilot!" wailed Rurik from the adjacent room. "Over here! Hurry!"

"The cartographer," recalled Poe before hobbling over. He shot off his restraints and provided covering fire while Enna helped him out of the chair.

Rurik cowered behind the wall. "I don't suppose you have a plan for getting out, do you?"

"BB-8's got the ship. We just need to ascend a floor." Poe scavenged a rifle from one of the troopers and handed it to Rurik. "I'll need your help to fight our way there."

Rurik flashed a squeamish glance at the weapon and flinched. "I've never shot a blaster in my life. I...I'm just map systems!"

"Now's the time to learn," insisted Poe.

Rurik shook his head and shied from the rifle, "Oh no no. I couldn't possibly. I don't do well under pressure."

A laser struck dangerously close to their proximity. Enna huffed, "Oh for the love of-" She lunged at Poe. "Give me that!" She took the spare rifle and wildly fired back at the stormtroopers.

"Where'd you learn to shoot?" asked Poe as he fired his pistol.

"Never done it before," she grunted. "But in this day and age, I'll have to learn eventually!"

"It's in your blood, after all." added Poe.

"This is true," smirked the teen. "For Mandalore!" She bellowed before blind-firing down the corridor.

"For the Resistance!" Poe exclaimed.

"I like that one better," she concurred.

Poe and Enna offered suppressing fire while guiding Rurik down the hall. They made for the nearest stairwell, only to encounter idle First Order troops. Poe and Enna gunned them down before he asked, "Where's AC?"

Enna grimaced. "I overheard the chrome captain conversing with a trooper. They said his power ran out, and that he was bound for the incinerator to melted into replacement parts."

"Not on my watch," snapped Poe. "Enna, I need you to get yourself and Rurik to the StarSpeeder on the docking level. BB-8 will meet you there."

"What about you?"

"I'm going for AC. If I'm not back in ten minutes, leave without me."

Enna gasped, "But-"

"That's an order." quipped Poe. "If you fight for me now, you fight for the Resistance. Now follow orders."

Enna nodded sternly, "Yes sir." she tugged at Rurik's sleeve. "Come on, you spineless whelp." Rurik trembled as they disappeared up the stairs.

"Go kid, go!" affirmed Poe before calling in. "BB-8. Check those schematics again. I need to know the quickest way to the incinerator room."

A panicking stormtrooper ran down the hall, watching as other First Order personnel tended to the wounded. He could not stop hyperventilating from the combat stress, and sought refuge in Enna's former prison cell. There, he gasped upon finding his squadmate badly beaten. "FN-2199!" He called while helping him up. "Are you alright?"

"Get off of me, FN-2187!" scorned the trooper. "And my name is Nines. Got it? Nines!" He picked up his riot control baton and electrified it once more. "Now stay out of my way. The Resistance will pay for this. They're all traitors, and must be dealt with as such!"

"This way!" beckoned Enna as she cleared the halls. Rurik timidly trailed behind her. "The docking bay is just right around...here." Enna found herself facing a line of stormtroopers, all accompanied by Captain Phasma herself. Together, they formed a wall of white and chrome in front of the StarSpeeder.

"I see I underestimated you, girl." said the captain. "Lesson well-learned. Men! Open fire!" A storm of lasers blasted away as Enna and Rurik took cover.

"Not good," she huffed before returning fire. "We're pinned! Rurik, do you see a way around?"

When he didn't answer, Enna glanced over her shoulder to find him cowering. He was rocking back and forth, whimpering, "It's just a bad dream. It's just a bad dream. Just a bad dream..."

Enna rolled her eyes before continuing to shoot.

Poe followed BB-8's coordinates to reach the incinerator room, where he found a stormtrooper stuffing scrap onto a conveyor belt tray. He immediately shot the trooper and shoved the try of parts off of the belt. Without wasting a moment, Poe began to rummage through the scrap until he found AC's limp body. He then pried open his chest and inserted the cylindrical power generator. Within seconds, AC reactivated while flailing his arms. "I don't know anything!" he exclaimed.

"Shhhhh!" Poe covered the droid's mouth.

"Poe? How did you get here?"

"Stowed away. No big deal. Are you alright?"

"You...came back for us?"

"I got you all into this mess. I'll get you out it." smiled Poe. "Now come on, we found your ship."

As they fled, AC could not help but ask, "Where did you find another power generator?"

"Traded my helmet for it on Manaan. I'll tell you the rest later."

"Poe," began the droid as he turned. "Thank you."

Poe gave a nod and urged him to keep running.

Enna and Rurik were getting hammered by laserfire. Phasma signaled for three of her men to flank them while she provided covering fire. Aboard the StarSpeeder, BB-8 synced himself with the ship's laser cannons. He proceeded to fire from behind, blasting stormtroopers in multiple sections. Phasma turned and ducked for cover when Poe and AC emerged from the hall. BB-8 opened the entry door, and the four of them ran for it. Rurik was first inside, followed by AC. Enna and Poe blasted away at Phasma, keeping her pinned while they boarded. "We're all in, BB-8!" hollered Poe. "Get us out of here!"

BB-8 chimed in agreement before flying the ship out of the hangar. Soon after this escape, the StarSpeeder 1000 came under heavy fire from the frigate's laser turrets. AC immediately went to the controls and worried. "The hyperdrive is disabled! I can reboot it, but I'll need time."

Poe went towards the controls, "I'll buy you that time. I can fly us-" He stopped himself and stared at AC, expecting the droid to scold him.

Instead, the droid replied, "By all means, Poe Dameron."

AC made his way to the hyperdrive located at the end of the StarSpeeder. Poe took a seat at the ship's controls. "BB-8, go help AC reboot the hyperdrive. Enna and Rurik, buckle up."

Rurik immediately followed orders. "Don't have to tell me twice."

Enna snapped her buckle in place, and then pulled on the yellow safety strap to ensure it was secured.

Poe took a deep breath as a series of Tie fighters emerged to give chase. "Hold on, everyone. We're going to experience some turbulence."


	5. Chapter 5 - Inquisitorius

**Chapter: 5 Inquisitorius  
**

"Steady..." Poe whispered to himself. "Wait for it..."

The Tie fighters converged on the StarSpeeder, and Poe remained idle. Enna tensed, "Any minute now, Poe."

"Steady..."

The Ties opened fire, their green lasers streaking by. "POE!" screamed Enna.

"Now!" Poe flipped the throttle, sending the ship into a nosedive. The Ties darted after it just as Poe pulled up. He fired the laser cannons, blasting one of the fighters into ash. He then performed a powerful spin that thrashed everyone onboard. In the hyperdrive maintenance room, AC magnetized his feet while BB-8 used grappling hooks to stabilize himself.

Another one of Poe's turns churned Enna's stomach until she hiccuped. "Keep it together, Enna." she felt her insides bubbling. "Don't throw up...Don't throw UUUUUUUP!"

Poe performed a barrel-roll, dodging lasers from both the frigate and Tie fighters. "Ace!" called Poe. "How are we looking back there?"

"Rebooting!" quipped the droid while BB-8 desperately tried to electrify the hyperdrive, hoping any extra energy could help.

 ** _BANG!  
_**  
Kylo Ren's Star Destroyer blasted out of Hyperspace, just as it did when Poe was shot down. He glared at the colossal ship, "We meet again." Poe could not fight off the rising amounts of fighters, and decided to try another approach. He banked towards the Star Destroyer."

"Aren't we supposed to be going away from the enemy?" worried Rurik, his hands death-gripping the armrests of his chair.

"Without lightspeed, there's no way this thing can outrun Tie fighters. Nor can it withstand that Star Destroyer's firepower." explained Poe. "So the only way to survive this-"

"Is to go in," Enna shut her eyes, gritting her teeth.

"You're mad!" panicked Rurik.

"Hold on to your maps," teased Poe. Before steering the ship directly into the Star Destroyer's docking bay. "Maximizing shields." asserted Poe with a flick of switch. Armies of stormtroopers within fired away at the StarSpeeder, causing it to rumble on all sides. "WOOOOOOHOOO!" howled Poe as he flew across the bay. The enclosed spaces caused several of the Ties behind him to crash and inflict damage upon the interior.

A womanly scream echoed throughout the cabin, prompting Poe to chuckle. "Hang in there, Enna."

"That wasn't me," asserted the teen.

Rurik cringed, "Sorry."

Poe laughed even harder before strafing towards the docking exit, but only after blasting several fuel cells on his way out. The explosions further slowed down the Ties, and Poe was able to fly out of the Star Destroyer. Just as he spun, he heard the repetitive booming of Star Destroyers blasting out of Hyperspace.

Poe's smile disappeared as fast as the warships had arrived. "Ace? BB-8? Now would be a great time to tell me the hyperdrive is fixed. Guys?"

"Almost!" worked AC.

"Ace?" Poe called again.

"It's just a slither from completion."

The Star Destroyers loosed sprays of green laserfire. Poe spiraled hard, roaring like a madman to evade certain death. "Ace!"

BB-8 gave the hyperdrive one final extra charge, and it radiated with power. He bleeped with joy as AC called, "Ready!"

"Alright!" Poe slammed his fist on the hyperdrive, and the StarSpeeder's engines began to thunder. The stars seemed to lengthen as the vortex of Hyperspace became visible.

 ** _KABOOM!  
_**  
The StarSpeeder 1000 had made the jump to lightspeed, once again narrowly escaping the First Order's clutches.

Kylo Ren angrily watched the Resistance pilot's escape. He began to inhale profusely, only ignite his unique lightsaber and repeatedly hammer away at a nearby terminal. He smashed the computer to pieces, roaring with excruciating frustration. Sparks flickered and loose cables thrashed as he deactivated his lightsaber. "Honestly!" snapped General Hux, who approached from behind him. "Must you throw tantrums like a blithering child?"

"How could you lose him again?!" turned Kylo Ren. "I will take great pride in notifying Supreme Leader Snoke that you have failed. Perhaps only then will he send me a much more competent general."

"On the contrary," rebuked Hux. "The Supreme Leader will award me with great praise for my doings. Only you will be shunned."

"Your doings," Kylo Ren mocked. "What have you accomplished?"

The young general remained stern against his associate's spiteful remarks. "I have given the First Order its only opportunity at finding Luke Skywalker."

The StarSpeeder 1000 rocketed through the blue vortex of Hyperspace. BB-8 rolled about the cabin, scanning for potential tracking devices. Sure enough, the spherical droid detected a tiny tracker, which had been latched under one of the seats in the back row. BB-8 plucked out the tracker and flung it onto the ground. Poe stomped on it, swizzling his foot until the device was reduced to flattened scrap. BB-8 rolled out of the back row with a disgusted beep. "He says he rolled through something sticky back there," translated Poe.

"People are always spilling drinks back there," confessed AC. "We can tell them a hundred...even a thousand times. No eating. No drinking. No smoking! Still they have to ruin it for everyone else."

"That's people for you," sighed Rurik, who was still slowing his breathing.

Poe pat his back assuringly. "Easy. We're safe now."

He turned to be immediately embraced by Enna. "Thank you for coming back for us," she said before kissing his cheek.

"Thanks, kiddo," Poe squeezed her as BB-8 chimed frustratedly.

Enna giggled and knelt before the droid. "And thank you too, BB-8." She kissed the droid on his head, causing him to happily spin with a gleeful beep.

"As you humans say, no hard feelings." AC extended his metallic hand for a shake.

Poe nodded, "You were just following your directive, Ace. I can't blame you for that." The two had just finished shaking hands when the ship blasted out of Hyperspace and towards the Star Tours station.

AC gasped, "You set the coordinates here? But you need to get to Jakku."

"I've put you guys through plenty," admitted Poe. "This is where we part ways. BB-8 and I will find another transport, one that doesn't endanger anyone."

"I do not think that is possible," intoned AC, promoting Poe to raise a brow. "You are a passenger on my StarSpeeder. My directive programming requires me to ensure the successful travel of ALL passengers."

Poe sighed with a faint smile, "Ace, you don't have to do this."

"Neither do I, but I want to." Enna stood up from her seat. "If I go back to Mandalore, I'll be miserable for the rest of my life. I take that back. I wouldn't have a life. My parents never made me feel like I had any value. I even thought of running away on my assignment to the senate. But then there was all of this running...and jumping...and shooting and blasting! The thrill of fighting and outwitting evil. If this is what it means to be alive, it's all I want."

"Enna?" questioned Poe.

The teen stood tall, "Poe, I want to join the Resistance. I want to fight the First Order just like you." BB-8 spun with excitement as Poe began to grin. "Besides, how else am I going to hone my shooting skills?"

"In that case, welcome to the team." nodded Poe. "Both of you."

"Count me in," Rurik stood up, bewildering the others. "I may not be the most courageous of men, but I will do what I must to help the Resistance find Luke Skywalker."

"In that case, we're going to Jakku," agreed AC before making his way to the dashboard.

"Wait," stopped Poe. "Help the Resistance find Luke Skywalker..." thought Poe.

Enna grew worried, "Poe?"

She gasped as he turned, pointing his pistol at Rurik. "Hands up!"

Rurik quickly obliged and trembled, "Poe? What are you doing?"

"Cut the act," sneered the pilot.

"You've gone mad!"

"Luke Skywalker..." uttered Poe.

"What?"

"Luke Skywalker! You said you'd help the Resistance find Luke Skywalker. I never mentioned his name once. How did you know? How did you-" Poe suddenly felt a shortage of air intake. Before he knew what had happened, it was as if an invisible hand had wrapped itself around his throat. Poe choked, dropping his pistol and levitating about a forearm's width above the floor. Enna turned to see Rurik making the choking motion with his hand while using the other to open his mapping bag.

"A slip of the tongue often fairs ill, pilot." hissed Rurik, his cowardly demeanor perished. "Cut the act, you say? But I was doing so well!"

"No!" AC and BB-8 lunged at Rurik, but he used the Force to push them back.

"You dirty snake!" Enna took a swing at Rurik, who released Poe and quickly grappled her. He then reached into his bag, revealing a lightsaber hilt. Upon igniting it, a blood red beam emerged, and he placed it right at Enna's neck.

Poe coughed for air, slowly standing in the process. "Let her go, Rurik."

"You don't give commands here. I do!" he barked. His lighstaber ominously lit his face in a scarlet hue, making him out to appear as some hellish demon. Enna was no match for his brute strength. She was also terrified to budge with such a powerful, steaming weapon just inches from her neck. Rurik smirked as Poe and the droids backed up. "That's better. Now you're going to set coordinates for Jakku." Everyone remained still. "DO IT! Or she dies!"

AC worriedly looked to Poe, who regretfully nodded. "Do it."

"Poe. Take your ball droid and face against the wall."

A voice crackled on the dashboard. "There you are, Star Tours Flight 2309. We thought we'd lost you! You are clear for landing in docking bay 4."

Rurik glared at AC. "Shut it off." The droid did so. "Now, AC-95, activate communications channel 4823157. Designation code: 08G1. Once you input the code, join the others against the wall. AC did as he was ordered, and a hologram of General Hux appeared on the dashboard.

"Rurik," nodded Hux. "I trust all has gone as planned."

"I have the pilot and his sympathizers," assured Rurik. "We are heading for Jakku now. Luke Skywalker will soon be ours."

"Excellent work, Inquisitor. We will meet you there." General Hux ended the transmission and called a First Order base in the Western Reaches, "Send the closest strike team we have to establish a perimeter on Jakku before we get there." He shut off communications and turned. "You see? All has gone according to my plan."

"Inquisitor?" question Kylo Ren. Both men stood before a colossal hologram of a malformed being.

"Supreme Leader Snoke," began General Hux. "In the days of the old Empire, Darth Vader utilized Inquisitorius, an organization of force-sensitive agents who hunted down the surviving Jedi of Order 66. The Grand Inquisitor. The Fifth Brother. The Seventh Sister. All were successful agents to Vader and the Emperor. Why not revive this program? I offered agent Rurik, a former pupil of Skywalker's before Kylo Ren's insurrection, another chance at glory. We would be wasting force-sensitive individuals to not use them in the field. While Starkiller Base destroys the Republic, let us rebuild Inqusitorius. Let us train our agents to hunt down the First Order's enemies!"

Kylo Ren was enraged. "You authorized a force-sensitive individual from the faction I was once part of without my permission?!"

"I doubt you would recognize Rurik," quipped Hux. "He was the lowest rank of potential Jedi at the time. While you, on the other hand, were Skywalker's drudge."

Kylo Ren activated his lightsaber with pure hatred, only to have Snoke stop him. "Stay that blade, Kylo Ren." His voice was eerie and chilling. His holographic body loomed over Hux with a grumble. "Congratulations, general. Your proposition has been heard. However, its survival hinges on whether or not this Agent Rurik of yours succeeds with his mission."

Hux saluted Snoke. "He will not fail you, Supreme Leader. Skywalker shall be yours. Then the Resistance, the Republic, and all of our enemies shall fall before the might of the First Order." 


	6. Chapter 6 - Deception on Jakku

**Chapter: 6 Deception on Jakku  
**

The StarSpeeder boomed out of Hyperspace and began to descend upon the desert planet of Jakku. Rurik grinned, still holding his lightsaber to Enna's neck. He pressed his comlink with his offhand. "This is Agent Rurik. I have reached the planet. Where is my strike team?"

A voice crackled back, "The troops are mobilized and enroute to Jakku. Mark the landing point and await our arrival."

"It will be done," he hung up.

"You're a fool, Rurik." jeered Poe, who was still facing against the wall. "Do you honestly think I would reveal the true location of my mission? Jakku was a placeholder for the actual system."

"Spare me your lies, pilot." spat Rurik. "I've been tracking you down ever since you left D'Qar." Poe's eyes widened. "That's right, the First Order is well aware of the location of your precious base."

"You let us live so we could lead you to Luke," realized Poe.

"Now you're catching on," replied Rurik. "General Hux believed Kylo Ren was incapable of finding Skywalker, and tasked me to reinstate the inquisitor program. Baiting you was easy. A selfless pilot like you was bound to answer the staged assault on the supply lines. A destabilizing shot to your X-wing was enough to ground it. While Phasma and the others shot to kill, I patiently awaited your entry aboard this Star Tours flight. It's amazing what a forged passport can get you. The rest was just a matter of patience, and well-played acting. I-"

"Is he still talking?" huffed Poe to AC and BB-8. "I stopped listening after 'Now you're catching on'." Enna snickered, prompting Rurik to bring the lightsaber even closer.

Rurik glowered at his captives. "Droid, steady our course and prepare for landing."

"Where?" asked AC.

"That's a great question," concurred Rurik. "Alright, Poe. Where is Luke Skywalker?"

"Isn't that the question on everyone's mind..." scoffed Poe.

"Tell me the location of your mission objective, or this child's blood will be on your hands."

"Don't tell him anything!" blurted Enna before Rurik squeezed her into submission.

"Quiet!"

Poe bit his lip as sweat dripped from his temple. Had he been captured, he would surely die before speaking, but he could not bring himself to let Enna do so in his place. With a deep breath and BB-8's worried beeps, Poe spoke up. "Luke Skywalker is not on Jakku. At least, he's most likely not."

"Explain," scowled Rurik.

"I was sent to recover the final piece to a map leading to his whereabouts."

"And where is this piece?"

"The Kelvin Ravine," was all Poe would reveal, keeping the Tuanul village a secret.

"You heard him, droid." barked Rurik. "Set course for the Kelvin Ravine."

AC reluctantly accessed the Star Tours database to map out and pinpoint the area. Upon finding it, he flew the ship in for a landing.

Rurik laughed, "Who knew I'd be searching for a map? I guess I really am a cartographer."

The sun was setting over Jakku, and the StarSpeeder 1000 soared over the remnants of an old battlefield. A young women with tri-bun hairstyle was scavenging through the wreckage when she saw the craft zoom overhead. She built herself up with expectation and hoped it would land. It was as if she had been awaiting the return of someone dear. She only sighed as the ship continued over the dunes.

"This is the Kelvin Ravine." indicated AC.

"Now where?" asked Rurik.

"That's all I know." shrugged Poe.

"You're lying," hissed Rurik. "I can sense your fear. Your discouragement. I feel your anxiety. Tell me the truth, or she d-AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"

While Rurik was talking to Poe, Enna had bitten his hand as hard as physically possible. He dropped the lightsaber, and Enna struck him in the face with the back of her head. He kicked her away as Poe lunged. Rurik easily caught him with the Force and recovered his lightsaber. Just before he could impale the helpless pilot, AC pushed down on the controls, sending the StarSpeeder into a nosedive. Everyone shifted, and Poe quickly grabbed hold of a loose seatbelt. He wrapped it around his wrist as Rurik struck against the windshield, cracking it. Enna landed ontop of him, forcing enough weight to shatter the glass. Rurik tumbled out of the ship, but dug his lightsaber into the roof to hold on. Enna nearly fell out as well, but AC was sure to catch her. With the ship spiraling down in a nosedive, BB-8 had now rolled to the dashboard side of the ship. From such a position, he was able to plug in and level the flight.

Poe then slid towards the controls and grabbed them himself. Poe furiously shifted the ship from side to side, desperate to shake off Rurik. The lightsaber dug further into the roof, sliding with each turn. If Poe wasn't careful, Rurik would bisect the entire spacecraft. Desperate times called for desperate measures. Enna recovered Poe's pistol from under the seats, smashed a window, peered out, and attempted to shoot Rurik. This was a terrible idea on the inexperienced girl's part. Inertia kicked in, and the force knocked the pistol out of her hands before pushing her back inside. She fell forward into Poe, who slipped at the controls. The ship swung a hard left, and AC alerted, "The ravine!"

Poe grew wide-eyed, realizing there was no way to evade the rocks at this point. "Brace yourselves!" He threw himself over Enna to serve as a human shield. AC magnetized his feet while BB-8 ducked under the dashboard.

 ** _BOOOOOM!  
_**  
The StarSpeeder crashed against the top of Kelvin's Ravine, flipping over before rolling out of control. Sparks of fire and heaps of metal bursted in every direction. After such a tremendous crash landing, the StarSpeeder came to a grinding halt against the edge of the ravine.

While most of the ship's assets were completely destroyed, one of the cracked screens still displayed a flight video. The flashing screen revealed a distorted image of Aly San San, the chief spokesbot for Star Tours. "Thank you for flying Star Tours," she said. "Buh-bye!" The screen powered down within seconds.

Poe rolled off of Enna and helped her up. Both had suffered minor scrapes. "Kid, you alright?"

She coughed up smoke. "I hate Star Tours."

"I'll take that as a yes," laughed Poe as he stood up from the wreckage. "BB-8! Ace! Where are you guys?"

"I am here," waved AC, his paint-chipped feet still magnetized to whatever remained of the cabin floor. "I do not see your BB friend anywhere."

"BB-8!" called Poe. He then heard the rumbling of scrap metal. A large piece of debris was levitated out of the way, making room for Rurik to trudge in. His lightsaber dragged across the ground as he limped through the crash site. His face was canvased with cuts and bruises. His jacket was shredded and one of its sleeves was entirely torn off.

"I'll kill you all!" he yelled, his voice echoing across the ravine. He hastily called in on his comlink, "Strike team. What is your ETA?"

"We are twenty minutes out," an officer soon replied.

He then called his master. "General Hux, Skywalker isn't on Jakku, but a map to find him is. I-" He paused at the sound of footsteps.

Poe, Enna, and AC hid behind the severed ship while Rurik searched. "Show yourselves!" He grunted form his bodily injuries. A spark flared behind him, and he anxiously swung his lightsaber. "I'll...I'll kill you!"

Poe whispered to Enna. "Do you have my pistol?"

She winced at his question. "About that..." She sulked. "I dropped it during flight."

Poe grit his teeth with frustration. "Then things just got a whole lot harder." He peered down at a dented compartment. "What's this?"

"The lost and found," replied AC.

Poe immediately shuffled through it, "I don't suppose anyone left a blaster or thermal detonator did they?" He pulled out a tan leather jacket and tossed it aside.

Suddenly, a horde of scavenging humans rushed the wreckage. The Jakku natives began to pillage whatever they could from the ship when Rurik approached them. Enraged, he started to cut each scavenger down with his lightsaber. He cared not of gender or age. If they were in his way, they met his red blade. As the carnage ensued, Enna and Poe shifted through the lost and found for anything they could find. Aside from the jacket and several books, all that was left behind was a mug.

"We'll have to make due." said Poe. He crouched his way behind the wreckage, waiting to get a perfect view of Rurik. Just as the inquisitor slashed a scavenger to the ground, Enna flung the mug at his face. This was enough of a distraction for Poe to grab Rurik from behind. Rurik broke free and swung his blade. Poe ducked, squeezed his wrist until he dropped the lightsaber, and then punched him in the waist. Rurik flipped him over and delivered a swift punch. Poe was quick enough to roll away, causing Rurik to injure himself against the rocks. Utilizing this distraction, Poe grabbed a sharp piece of debris and swung it, slitting through Rurik's chest. The inquisitor hissed with pain before buckling forward. Poe jabbed with the metal again, but Rurik was able to grab his arm and knock it away. He then used the force to call his lightsaber, but Enna grabbed it in mid-air. She activated it and clumsily swung it at Rurik. He grabbed hold of her wrist and tilted the blade towards her chest. Poe seized the opportunity to tackle Rurik into the ground. The inquisitor headbutt Poe and kicked him off, prompting both he and Enna to attack together.

Rurik stretched a hand out in each direction, blasting Enna and Poe with a furious Force push. Enna struck against the rocky ground while Poe rolled over the edge of the cliff. His gloved hand caught the ledge just in time, and he dare to look down. The pilot was dangling hundreds of feet above the jagged ravine. Poe struggled to hang on as his bodily soreness took its toll. He looked up to see Rurik standing over the edge. The inquisitor smirked and raised his leg to stomp on Poe's hand. Just as he brought his foot down, BB-8 rolled out from the wreckage and blocked the stomp. Rurik fought to maintain his balance on the swiveling droid, eventually tripping forward. He landed on the other foot while flailing his arms to stabilize. BB-8 denied him this opportunity, and rolled around to shove him by the ankle. Poe watched Rurik fall over the edge, plummeting down to his crushing death.

Poe looked up at his mechanical companion. "Thanks, buddy. I'd wondered where you'd gotten off to." BB-8 chimed thrice, causing Poe to sigh. "I'm sure you would help me up if you had a hand to lend me."

"Poe!" worried Enna as she rushed to the ledge. She grabbed hold of one of Poe's arms and teen could not lift such a heavy man on her own. "Help me out, Ace!" Ace rushed over, taking Poe's other arm and helping Enna to hoist him over the ledge.

Poe proceeded to embrace his companions and then pat BB-8 on the head. "It's all over," panted Enna.

"No," denied Poe. "It's just beginning. My secret mission was to get to Tuanul, a village in this area. I'm not sure how secret my mission is anymore, and a First Order strike team will be landing within a matter of minutes."

"What do we do?" asked Enna.

"We can't outrun them on foot. I'm..." Poe admitted, "I'm not sure."

"I have a plan," said AC. "But we'll need to get down to Rurik's body."

BB-8, Poe, and Enna followed AC on a trek down the cliffside until they reached the base of the ravine. The strike team must have been nearing, for Rurik's comlink was blipping on his lifeless body. "Agent Rurik. Come in! Inquisitor! Do you read? What is your status?"

AC activated the comlink and reprogrammed his vocabulator to mimic Rurik's voice. "Yes. I'm here. The pilot lured me into a trap! There is no map on Jakku and the pilot is on the run. Shoot him on sight. I repeat, shoot him on sight!"

"Acknowledged, Agent Rurik." replied the strike team's commander.

Poe was bewildered. "Are you trying to get me killed?"

"No," said AC. "Not you. Now please, give me your flightsuit."

Poe froze up, "What?"

"My body's structure is of similar build to yours. Let me wear your flightsuit so that I may draw the strike team away from your position. If I had told them Rurik had succeeded, they still would have come to investigate and eventually find us. I might as well be able to lead them as far away from you as possible. Besides, they have no idea what type of sentient being the pilot is."

"Not happening," Enna denied. "You're coming with us. We can still get away!"

"Ace," Poe insisted. "Don't do this, pal."

AC remained solemn. "It's like I said back on Manan, Poe Dameron. Sacrifice for the good of my passengers is in my programming." Poe thought on his words as AC continued, "You saved my life, so now I will save yours. You have your mission. Let this be mine."

BB-8 uttered a sad bleep while Poe reluctantly obliged. He removed the orange flightsuit and white flak vest, then proceeded to help AC into them. He zipped up the droid before looking him straight in the eyes. "Thank you, Ace."

"No. Thank YOU, Poe Dameron. After years of monotonous, interstellar transit...you've brought the only excitement into my life." AC glanced down at Enna, who could not fight back her sadness. She could not stop a lone tear from escaping her eye. He wiped its remnants with his metal finger, "You humans are a beautiful race. So selfless. So spirited. I am honored to have met you both." The engines of a dropship could be heard across the desert, startling the group. "They're coming. You need to go now!...Now!"

Poe took Enna by the hand, forcing her to leave with him and BB-8. Poe met AC's gaze one final time before ascending the cliffside once more. They reached the top of the wreckage as the chills of the night blew against them. Poe hastily recovered the tan jacket from earlier and draped it atop his undershirt. He and Enna then followed BB-8's mapping systems to find Tuanul Village.

The dropship landed at the base of the cliffside. Stormtroopers poured out to secure the area while the commander examined Rurik's body. It was then that AC ran from one of the dunes, allowing the commander to catch a glimpse of him. "It's the pilot! Blast him!" The stormtroopers gave chase while AC fled as fast as possible. He tumbled over a dune, waving his arms to keep them in pursuit. He tripped while ascending another hill of sand, only to feel the a laser blast against his leg.

AC fell over, but bravely climbed up and beyond the dune. The hill was larger than anticipated, and he rolled down several feet before collapsing into a sandy basin. He waved his arms again, "Come and get me!" he taunted. Lasers struck around him as he continue to flee. "Just a little further," he urged himself. His leg was sparking from the lasershot. "Just a little more time." AC turned from the corner to find himself facing a flanking line of stormtroopers. The strike team soon had him completely surrounded as he laughed to himself. It turned out that even a droid could be capable of fear. While this may have been true, so too was the fact that droids could feel brave. The stormtroopers trained their rifles on him as he raised up his arms and proclaimed, "Long live the Resistance!" His bold words were followed by a hail of laserfire.

"Keep moving," ushered Poe as they ran across the sands.

"Agh!" Enna dropped to her knees, as a powerful feeling of sadness overwhelmed her.

"Are you alright?" worried Poe. "What happened?"

She winced, "I...I don't know. I just feel like something terrible has just occurred." Enna and Poe looked to each other with expressions of pure grief before pressing on. A sandstorm was picking up, but they pushed on. They had to press onwards, so that AC-95's act of heroism would never be in vain. They ran until their feet ached. Until their breath was nearly wasted. The two fell over at the entrance to Tuanul. They remained dazed and weakened against the sands.

"BB-8?" recognized a man from the village. He ran over to help them up, only to realize who one them was. "Poe? Guys! It's Poe Dameron! He's alive!"

Poe looked up to see Resistance soldiers rushing to the aid of both himself and Enna.


	7. Chapter 7 - The Force Awakens

**Chapter: 7 The Force Awakens**

Poe, Enna, and BB-8 were brought into the village library, which was a small structure filled with decrepit bookshelves. Poe caught a glimpse of one of the books titled _The Jedi Code._ His observation was ended when a Resistance soldier arrived to administer a bacta-soaked rag to his arm wound. He smiled, "General Organa had assumed you were killed in action."

"No," huffed Poe as he turned to Enna. "Just got delayed."

The Resistance captain stood at the entrance. "She sent my team and I to carry on the mission in your place. Now, by the will of the Force, or I should say the CHURCH of the Force...here you are."

"I certainly had some help," replied Poe. "And I lost a good friend along the way. I'd like to ensure that his sacrifice was not made in vain. General Hux and the rest of the First Order is headed this way. We were able to fool the strike team, Hux will surely investigate. We need to find that missing map piece. What did your team arrive in?"

"Ten X-wings and a transport," replied the captain.

Poe acknowledged, "You'll need to hold off the First Order's advance while I retrieve the map. Leave BB-8 and I an X-wing to make our getaway."

"Anything for the best pilot in the Resistance," saluted the captain. "Byro, you'll be boarding the dropship. Your X-wing now belongs to Poe."

The pilot nodded, "It's an honor to have you fly my ship, Poe."

"Wait a minute," asserted Enna. "Do I get a ship too?"

"Captain," began Poe. "See to it my friend is brought to D'Qar on the transport for basic combat training."

"What?" she snapped. "Poe, I'm not leaving you. We're in this together!" BB-8 chimed. "See? He agrees with me...or at least I think he does."

"Enna," sighed Poe. "What I said before was true. This is just the beginning. The First Order's main force is headed this way. I appreciate your willingness to fight for us, but it's all meaningless if you get yourself killed in your first battle." She frowned at his words, causing him to place a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Go to our base on D'Qar, train with all of your heart. I believe you can become one of the best Resistance fighters we've ever had. I'll be alright. I always am. And I guarantee you that we'll meet again."

Enna swallowed her swelling pride. "Alright. I'll go...On one condition."

"And that is?"

"Promise me you'll contact me if you need help. Promise!"

Poe nodded, "I promise, kid."

"Good." Enna embraced him, "Be safe, Poe. Thanks for everything." She then knelt before BB-8 and kissed his head, "Take care of him, alright?" BB-8 nodded with a bleep.

Poe asked the Resistance captain for two comlinks and then handed one to Enna. "Keep this on you at all times. It flashes...you answer. Got it?"

"Got it," nodded Enna before departing with the troops.

"Sir," worried a pilot as he examined the scanners. "The First Order has just come out of Hyperspace."

The captain sneered, "Get to your ships," He prepared to board his own X-wing. "We'll buy you as much time as we can, Poe!"

Poe saluted before walking across the village grounds. "Keep watch, BB-8." The droid acknowledged, keeping his eye fixed on the pitch black sky.

Poe stashed his comlink between two bricks in a wall beside a hut. He knelt down to enter, recognizing the structure as the one General Organa had described. The village elder sat within, and bowed upon meeting Poe. "Greetings," he said. "I am Lor San Tekka."

"Poe Dameron," bowed Poe before sitting across him. "The time has come."

"So it has," sighed the elder before handing Poe a tiny pouch. " _This_ will begin to make things right."

Poe smiled at the map. "Thanks to you, we have a chance." BB-8 panicked outside. The X-wings were destroyed, and the First Order was on its way...

Poe Dameron was absolutely right. His perilous journey was just beginning. Kylo Ren led his troops to march into the village and slaughter the populace. When Poe's X-wing was destroyed, he gave BB-8 the map shard, and ordered him to flee into the desert. BB-8 reluctantly obliged while Poe attempted to defeat Kylo Ren. Unfortunately, his efforts were fruitless and led to his capture. While he was able to resist the violent interrogations of Kylo Ren, Poe would be rescued by the most unlikely of heroes. A stormtrooper, FN-2187, defected from the First Order and helped Poe escape in a stolen Tie fighter. There endeavors were short-lived when their tie was shot down to Jakku. Poe was able to eject before impact, losing both his new friend and his droid...

Poe awakened on the sunny sands of Jakku. He could only hope that BB-8 had managed to escape the First Order's attack. He traversed his way back to Tuanul village, finding it razed to the ground. The sight of the massacred villagers, including Lor San Tekka, brought anguish to Poe's heart. They, like AC-95, would forever become Poe's motivation to fight harder. He knelt beside the ruined hut and recovered his stashed comlink. He immediately activated his distress beacon and proceeded to wait.

Within a matter of hours, a Resistance dropship arrived in front of the village. The doors swung open, and Poe found himself face to face with Enna once more. The teen peered down at Poe and smirked, "Well you're a sight for sore eyes. Did you miss me?"

"You know it, kid." Poe grunted as she helped him onboard.

"Where's BB-8? Did you get the map?"

"BB-8 has it. Thing is, I've lost him."

Enna gasped, "Where could he be?"

"I'm not sure of his whereabouts, but I am sure that he's a resourceful droid. He will keep the map safe while we regroup on D'Qar. It's also about time I got back in MY X-wing."

"Count me in," affirmed Enna.

"Good," grinned Poe. "Pilot, get us spacebound. We've got a droid to find...a Jedi to find...and a war to win." 

_There has been an awakening..._

 _Have you felt it?_

 _Thank you all so much for reading and I hope you have enjoyed the story. None of this is possible without readers like you. I hope that you, like Poe, fight for what you believe in and dedicate your success to those who believe in you._

 _If you're curious as to what happens next, watch The Force Awakens!  
_

 ** _Long Live Imagination_**

 ** _~Michael_**


End file.
